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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stem · pitch · deal · nail · cabinet · race · ball · lean

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. deal — to handle
  6. race — humankind
  7. lean — to bend
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. race — the arms race
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ball — a great time
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. ball — a dance
  15. lean — thin
  16. race — a contest
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com